An improved basin system adapted for use in hair salons

ABSTRACT

An improved basin system is adapted for use in hair salons. For example, embodiments have been developed to provide a hair wash basin that allows for increased efficiency and reduced adverse effects when washing and/or otherwise working with a person&#39;s hair. Embodiments provide wash basins having a central cavity in which a human subject&#39;s hair hangs under the influence of gravity, the central cavity being externally accessible by way of a movable panel member (for example, a hinged panel member). This enables the basin to be used for washing of hair (with the panel in a closed configuration) and for accessing the hair to perform various treatments and other actions (with the panel in an open configuration).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/AU2018/051334, filed Dec. 14, 2018, designating the United States of America and published as International Patent Publication WO 2019/119029 A1 on Jun. 27, 2019, which claims the benefit under Article 8 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty to Australian Patent Application Serial No. 2017905048, filed Dec. 18, 2017.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates, in various embodiments, to an improved basin system adapted for use in hair salons. For example, embodiments have been developed to provide a hair wash basin that allows for increased efficiency and reduced adverse effects when washing and/or otherwise working with a person's hair. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

BACKGROUND

Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Currently when a hairdresser rinses and shampoo hair in a conventional basin the color runs and the long hair covers the drain hole and the color pools and stains the bottoms of the hair and quite often this leads to the hair dresser having to use more product like a toner at their own cost because of the problems with the hair sitting in the runoff color and this is a waste of both time and money.

USA patent application 2006/005345 discloses a long hair wash basin, which includes a variable height screen to vary the effective depth of the basin. It attempts to avoid dragging long hair on the bottom of the basin.

WO2015/006851 discloses a method of treating long hair by using a basin that is deeper than the length of the hair.

Although these inventions do avoid the long hair accumulating on the bottom of the basin they do not address the problem of being able to access the hair during treatments such as coloring.

It is an object of the present disclosure to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One embodiment provides a basin system configured for washing of human hair, the basin system including:

-   -   an elongate pillar member, the pillar member having a sidewall         that defines a central vertical cavity, wherein the pillar         member is configured to be mounted to a surface such that fluid         flows through the central vertical cavity into a drain;     -   a collar member that is mounted at a top end of the pillar         member, wherein the collar member is configured to support a         head and/or neck of a human subject, such that whilst the head         and/or neck of the human subject is being supported distal         regions of long hair of the human subject vertically hang under         influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity;     -   a vertically-extending opening defined in the sidewall, wherein         the opening is formed such that the of long hair of the human         subject vertically hanging under influence of gravity within the         central vertical cavity is accessible through the opening;     -   a panel member configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall,         wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable         the basin system to be transitioned between:         -   (i) an open configuration, in which the moveable panel             member is positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to             expose the opening; and         -   (ii) a closed configuration in which the moveable panel             bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 500 mm.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 800 mm.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 1000 mm.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the movable panel member is hingedly mounted to the sidewall along an edge defining one vertical side of the opening.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the movable panel is magnetically mounted to the sidewall.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the movable panel is slidably mounted to the sidewall.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein in the closed configuration the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall such that water entering the elongate pillar member from above is caused to flow through the base end of the pillar member into the drain.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the collar member is configured to support the head and/or neck of the human subject when the human subject is in a substantially horizontal position.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein a substantially horizontal position is a position in which the upper torso of the human subject is inclined with respect to horizontal by less than 30 degrees.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the collar member includes a vertical opening, which extends the vertical opening in the sidewall.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the panel member is configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall, wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between:

-   -   (i) an open configuration, in which the moveable panel member is         positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to expose the         opening in the sidewall and the collar; and     -   (ii) a closed configuration in which the moveable panel bridges         the opening thereby to seal closed the opening in the sidewall         and at least partially seal closed the opening in the collar.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein the panel member is shaped to bridge the opening in the sidewall and at least partially bridge the opening in the collar.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 30% the height of the collar.

One embodiment provides a basin system wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 60% the height of the collar.

A wash basin suitable for long hair, which has a depth greater than the hair to be treated wherein the basin includes a removable panel, which enables access to the hair during treatment.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

As used herein, the term “exemplary” is used in the sense of providing examples, as opposed to indicating quality. That is, an “exemplary embodiment” is an embodiment provided as an example, as opposed to necessarily being an embodiment of exemplary quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a basin system according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded rear view of a basin system according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded front view of a basin system according to one embodiment;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates, in various embodiments, to an improved basin system adapted for use in hair salons. For example, embodiments have been developed to provide a hair wash basin that allows for increased efficiency and reduced adverse effects when washing and/or otherwise working with a person's hair. Embodiments provide wash basins having a central cavity in which a human subject's hair hangs under the influence of gravity, the central cavity being externally accessible by way of a movable panel member (for example, a hinged panel member). This enables the basin to be used for washing of hair (with the panel in a closed configuration) and for accessing the hair to perform various treatments and other actions (with the panel in an open configuration).

Preferred embodiments provide a wash basin, for example, a wash basin configured and styled for use in a hair salon, which is particularly suitable for long hair (including artificial hair, for example, hair extensions). In that regard, the basin has a central cavity, which has a depth greater than the hair to be treated, and a removable panel, which enables access to the hair during treatment. By “removable,” the panel is able to be removed such that it provides external access to the cavity. This includes partial removal, for example, where one edge of the panel remains connected to the remainder of the basin (for example, via hinge).

Having a removable panel renders the basin more efficient and effective for hair care professionals. For example, it facilitates convenient access for the purposes of removing foils, applying hair products, and manipulating hair without tangling the hair (as is usual in the context of basins where hair does not hang freely under the influence of gravity). Additionally, embodiments disclosed herein enabling rinsing of hair without colors of the foils bleeding into each other (or pooling and discoloration of the ends of the hair when rinsing from sitting in the bottom of a shallow basin).

FIG. 1 illustrates a basin system 100 according to one embodiment. It will be appreciated that the illustrated embodiment is a basin system configured for washing of human hair, for example, in a hair salon environment.

Basin system 100 includes an elongate pillar member 101. Pillar member 101 is configured to be mounted at its base end above a drain. In the illustrated example a plurality of mounting members 103 extend downwardly from a base flange 104 thereby to enable secure mounting of basin system 100 to a region of floor such that a lower aperture 105 overlies a drain formed in the floor. In other embodiments alternate fluid egress arrangements are made (for example, pipes and the like).

Pillar member 101 has a sidewall that defines a central vertical cavity. In the illustrated embodiment the sidewall is c-shaped in cross-section, and the opening defines approximately 30% of the pillar member circumference (although openings of up to or in excess of 50% may be used thereby to allow increased access to the central cavity). Alternate shapes of sidewall may also be used.

A collar member 110 is mounted at a top end of the pillar member. Collar member 110 includes a region 111 that is configured to support a head and/or neck of a human subject. This places the human head substantially above the central cavity such that, whilst the head and/or neck of the human subject is being supported, distal regions of long hair of the human subject vertically hang under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity. In the illustrated embodiment the collar member has a c-shaped cross section defining an opening between regions 113 and 114.

It will be appreciated that the cavity has a depth dimension that enables free hanging of the human subject's hair. This depth is preferably greater than the hair to be treated. In some embodiments the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 500 mm. In some embodiments the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 800 mm. In some embodiments the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 1000 mm. In some embodiments the pillar member is extendable thereby to enable modification of the length of free hanging hair able to be supported.

A vertically-extending opening 120 is defined in the sidewall. The opening is formed such that the long hair of the human subject vertically hanging under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity is accessible through the opening. This allows a hair care professional access to perform operations on the human hair, for example, application of treatments, hair manipulation, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment the opening extends into the collar between regions 113 and 114.

A panel member 121 is configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall (and preferably includes a handle or the like thereby to facilitate movement). The movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between:

-   -   (i) an open configuration (as shown in FIG. 1) in which the         moveable panel member is positioned with respect to the sidewall         thereby to expose the opening; and     -   (ii) a closed configuration in which the moveable panel bridges         the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall.

Preferably the panel locks in the closed configuration, for example, via a resilient lock, a latch/catch, a resilient rubber formation on the edge, or another such arrangement configured to prevent unwanted opening of the movable panel.

In the illustrated embodiment, the panel bridges the opening in the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the panel includes an upper region (not shown) which bridges and seals the opening in the collar between regions 113 and 114, having side edges formed to substantially match the profile of an internal face of the collar adjacent regions 113 and 114. seal

In the illustrated embodiment the panel member is hingedly mounted on one vertical edge to the sidewall thereby to enable hinged opening and closing of the panel relative to opening 120. Although a planar panel is illustrated, a curved panel may be used, for example, to stylistically match curves of the sidewall. Furthermore, the nature of hinge may vary between embodiments, for example, an integral hinge, which overlaps edges of the panel and sidewall.

Preferably, edge 122 of panel member 121 and edge 123 of the sidewall include respective complementary formations that are configured to provide a water seal upon closing of the panel member. For example, this may be provided via flanges formed for resilient materials and the like. One approach includes positioning the panel relative to the sidewall such that the panel is partially recessed inside the cavity, such that water running down an inside face if the panel remains within the cavity. Such arrangements are preferably applied at or adjacent all edges of panel member 121 such that when in the closed configuration and the basin system is used for hair washing, water is substantially prevented from escaping through cracks or the like between panel member 121 and the sidewall. That is, wherein in the closed configuration the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall such that water entering the elongate pillar member from above is caused to flow through the base end of the pillar member into the drain.

Alternate configurations for mounting of panel member 121 to the sidewall are used in further embodiments. Examples include: a panel that is magnetically mounted to the sidewall; a panel that is slidably mounted to the sidewall (for example, as illustrated in Australian provisional patent application no. 2017905048, which is herein incorporated by reference); and other configurations.

In the illustrated embodiment, the collar member is configured to support the head and/or neck of the human subject when the human subject is in a substantially horizontal position. In this regard, a “substantially horizontal position” is a position in which the upper torso of the human subject is inclined with respect to horizontal by less than 30 degrees. For example, in some embodiments a flat bed may be used. In further embodiments a relatively conventional salon chair is used, in conjunction with a conventional form of basin collar that is configured to operate with such a chair.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 additionally includes a strainer basket 130 and holster 131 into which the basket is removably placed thereby to prevent unwanted materials from reaching the drain underlying basin system 100. Furthermore, a lower panel is illustrated; this is preferably able to be removed thereby to provide cases to aperture 105.

It should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, various features of the present disclosure are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, FIG., or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed present disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this present disclosure.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the present disclosure, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Furthermore, some of the embodiments are described herein as a method or combination of elements of a method that can be implemented by a processor of a computer system or by other means of carrying out the function. Thus, a processor with the necessary instructions for carrying out such a method or element of a method forms a means for carrying out the method or element of a method. Furthermore, an element described herein of an apparatus embodiment is an example of a means for carrying out the function performed by the element for the purpose of carrying out the present disclosure.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term coupled, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limited to direct connections only. The terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Thus, the scope of the expression a device A coupled to a device B should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B, which may be a path including other devices or means. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present disclosure. 

1. A basin system configured for washing of human hair, the basin system including: an elongate pillar member, the pillar member having a sidewall that defines a central vertical cavity, wherein the pillar member is configured to be mounted to a surface such that fluid flows through the central vertical cavity into a drain; a collar member that is mounted at a top end of the pillar member, wherein the collar member is configured to support a head and/or neck of a human subject, such that whilst the head and/or neck of the human subject is being supported distal regions of long hair of the human subject vertically hang under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity; a vertically-extending opening defined in the sidewall, wherein the opening is formed such that the of long hair of the human subject vertically hanging under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity is accessible through the opening; a panel member configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall, wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between: (i) an open configuration in which the moveable panel member is positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to expose the opening; and (ii) a closed configuration in which the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 500 mm.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 800 mm.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 1000 mm.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable panel member is hingedly mounted to the sidewall along an edge defining one vertical side of the opening.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable panel is magnetically mounted to the sidewall.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable panel is slidably mounted to the sidewall.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein in the closed configuration the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall such that water entering the elongate pillar member from above is caused to flow through a base end of the pillar member into the drain.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the collar member is configured to support the head and/or neck of the human subject when the human subject is in a substantially horizontal position.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein a substantially horizontal position is a position in which the upper torso of the human subject is inclined with respect to horizontal by less than 30 degrees.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the collar member includes a vertical opening, which extends the vertical opening in the sidewall.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the panel member is configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall, wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between: (i) an open configuration, wherein the moveable panel member is positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to expose the opening in the sidewall and the collar; and (ii) a closed configuration, wherein the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the opening in the sidewall and at least partially seal closed the opening in the collar.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the panel member is shaped to bridge the opening in the sidewall and at least partially bridge the opening in the collar.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 30% the height of the collar.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 60% the height of the collar.
 16. A wash basin suitable for long hair, which has a depth greater than the hair to be treated wherein the basin includes a removable panel, which enables access to the hair during treatment. 